Overheard:
“Well there’s no reason to cry over spilt milk.” “What? I thought it was spilt milkshake I wasn’t supposed to cry over.”
Tipper
Overheard: snippets of conversation I overhear in Southern Appalachia
Appalachia Overheard
Overheard
14 Comments
Quinn
March 6, 2014 at 7:21 amAnd now I want a milkshake. Haven’t had one in years, but I sure am craving one now! 😉
Ed Ammons
March 5, 2014 at 9:15 pmNobody would have known about the spilt milk anyway if somebody hadn’t first spilt the beans.
Jackie
March 5, 2014 at 3:44 pmAlong with SPILLED milk: I read a small book many years ago titled, “Whenever Two Or Three Are Gathered Together, Someone Always Spills The Milk.” The main theme of the book was, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”.
Brenda Kay Ledford
March 5, 2014 at 3:00 pmI’ve heard this expression all my life, Tipper. I reckon it’s a mountain term to describe our messing up. Anyway, I’m glad you brought to my memory this expression. I’ve not heard it in a long time.
jose Luis
March 5, 2014 at 1:51 pmTipper Hello I hope you all have good health without too cold up there!
Indeed this is a very common expression in Argentina also, “Do not mourn over spilled milk” obviously never scold a child because overturned cup with her milk, we must know that is growing and its implementing arms and movements change soon.
As for its significance as a reflection or self saying is that should not lament something bad happened and unfortunately no longer has a solution.
The supplement would “take the deck of cards, shuffle and deal again.”
With warm regards from down here, (as Paul said in a performance reading my message, remember Tipper?), With much affection, from Argentina, José Luis,
Ken Roper
March 5, 2014 at 12:58 pmTipper,
It’s amazing how spillin’ something can
stay with you over the years.
When I was in the first grade, we had
just got our lunch and about to be
seated. Well, my orange got knocked off
the plate and I asked the girl across
from me to get my orange under her seat.
About that time a teacher grabbed my
ears from behind, partly raising me
up and she was saying “children, fill
your mouths with food, No Talking!”
I never liked her after that! Thank
goodness I wasn’t in Mrs. Roughty’s
room…Ken
Anastasia
March 5, 2014 at 12:33 pmI used to spill my milk on purpose as a child because I simply could not drink it and then I’d cry over the spilt milk. It took my mum some time to realise that I was allergic to milk. I don’t mind dairy products at all, but even the smell of milk or milkshake makes me want to throw up!
Ann Applegarth
March 5, 2014 at 11:41 amWe learned it: “It’s no use cryin’ over spilt milk.”
But that expression was — and is — used for ANY
unwelcome happening that is past and that you can
do nothing to change. One example: I type the bulletin for my church, and sometimes I make mistakes that appear on Sunday. When someone points it out, I think, “I’ll be more careful next time, but it’s no use cryin’ over spilt milk.”
Tamela
March 5, 2014 at 10:18 amhmmm – has the original saying lost it’s “oompf” since so many people nowadays drink lowfat or nofat milk? – – or is the new phrase because so many kids get their milk through milkshakes, smoothies, and ice cream. . . .?
Spills around our house were always the responsibility of the spiller from a very young age – even a two year old can mop up a spill – depending on the cause of the spill they may not get a refill and because of that they become much more careful. I thought this was pretty common sense but I was amazed at the number of time when holding birthday parties or when at church activities, I handed the terrified spiller a rag and told them to clean it up, that they would smile and take care of the task; then when their parent returned, sometimes hours lately, this event would be the first thing the child excitedly and happily related to their parent emphasizing “she didn’t get mad and I took care of it all by myself”!!
Sharon
March 5, 2014 at 9:45 amI came across this ‘Spilt Milk’ story that others may enjoy, too.
http://www.greatest-inspirational-quotes.com/spilt-milk-story.html
b. Ruth
March 5, 2014 at 9:44 amTipper,
A long, long time ago in before married land. When I was eating lunch, I saw a (assumed Mother) scold terribly a small child for spilling her milk! First the child would have been better off with a carton and a straw, but that is beside the point. The child was already sad and crying over the
“spilt milk” which, I thought was punishment enough. It was an accident, for heaven’s sake!
I looked into those sad, teary eyes as the mother ran off to gather more napkins, and told her it would be alright! She managed a OK look. I swore then that I would never scold a child of mine for spilling milk, in a restaurant, home or otherwise!
Thanks Tipper,
PS…I almost cried over a root-beer float that got turned up side down when the cup caved in…not because I spilt my rootbeer float, because of the ice cream mess on the car seat abd floor! That can be a sour mess if you don’t get it all up!
dolores
March 5, 2014 at 9:23 amThink Big Bird! We all make mistakes, some people make more than others. Some are more clumbsy than others, so I like to tell people when I am at my worst that Grace isn’t my middle name.
Miss Cindy
March 5, 2014 at 7:24 amI love it! I’d cry over a spilt milkshake before I’d cry over spilt milk!
Sheryl Paul
March 5, 2014 at 7:15 amLOL, I would cry over that too!